I finally received the package I have been waiting for since May, 30. I post the happy event here because of what this situation has taught me.
From speaking with Korean Customs officials, and reps from Hanjin Shipping, it seems that last April 1st, the regulations in Korea changed. The change has affected how Customs treats incoming packages. From what I am able to piece together from my discussions, Korean Customs is now becoming strict. Why? For two reasons, actually: First, because of asshats (Korean and Foreign) trying to bring in illegal drugs via international shipping companies like UPS, Hanjin, FEDEX, etc. and regular mail. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. Second, there has been an increase in the amount of counterfeit goods people are trying to smuggle in to the country.
The end result is that you can add a minimum of at least 3 days (more like 5 to 7) to any listed shipping time to clear customs.
According to what I read in the Korean news yesterday, starting on June 8th, the regulations even became more strict and the checks more thorough. Consequently, the times will probably slow down even more and I foresee a lot of problems being experienced in the near term with getting things through.
Herbal Medicines:
If you order herbs or herbal medicine on the internet, don’t be surprised if your shipment is held up at customs. As one friend told me recently, he had to get a local doctor to send a fax to Korean Customs to certify that my friend needed the herbs for health reasons. According to what my friend told me, the Korea Customs rep warned him that, with the doctor’s letter, they would release the herbs this time, but not to order them again. I don’t know about supplements for you bodybuilders out there, but these items might also receive additional scrutiny.
The List:
Oh, and this will make you feel all warm and fuzzy, if Customs finds something out of the ordinary such as medicinal herbs, loose leaf tobacco or something else, and they have to investigate it, your name goes on a list of having received a “suspicious” package. My friends’ name is now on that list for something that was in his package (the herbal medicine). My name is on the list also. In my case, I had to actually fax a copy of the face page of my passport before they would release the package that contained a couple of tins of off-brand chewing tobacco (it sucks BTW). What this means is that, if your name gets on the list, ANY package that comes in with your name on it will likely receive special attention. In some cases you may not even know you are on the list, so be forewarned.
The Number of Packages and Ordering for a Friend:
Korean Customs also tracks how many packages come in addressed to a certain individual. This is mainly to catch those trying to use a foreign name to avoid import taxes, or bring in counterfeit goods for resell.
The Korean Customs Service is not dumb. I would avoid ordering for Korean friends and having it shipped under your name. You could end up in a fix because the Korean friend was trying to avoid a tax bill or bring in counterfeit goods.
There could be other reasons for using your name, of course. I remember seeing a news documentary where Korean customs stopped a package, addressed to a foreigner, that contained 10, yes 10, uhhhh “marital aids” still in their original plastic packaging. The look on the face of the KOREAN businessman, who came to pick up the package, was priceless as he, and the camera, looked at the rubber sex toys lined up on a table in front of a smirking female Customs officer. I would love to hear someone justify ten 12” rubber dongs for personal use. No, I’m not making this up. Korean TV can be damn interesting sometimes.
Of course, you can help your Korean friend order the items on the internet, but make sure it is addressed to them, not you. If your friend insists that the items they bought be shipped to you, “because it’s easier,” it would probably behoove you to politely decline. You don’t want that kind of headache.
I do not blame Korea Customs. They have a job to do and they do it. They are not in the personality business, either. Most are rude and/or have the personality of cardboard.
To be fair, with the new regulations, they are also looking a lot closer at packages addressed to Koreans because of repeated problems with young Koreans trying to smuggle in illegal drugs and counterfeit goods. But think of it this way, if a customs officer has just a few minutes to check two packages, one addressed to a foreigner and the other to a Korean, which one do you think he will tear apart? Riiiigggghhhhtttt. This is not my thinking. It is a paraphrase of what a surprisingly nice officer at Korean Customs in Incheon told me.
The above may raise a few people’s hackles. But thinking about it, if I were in a similar situation at U.S. Customs and I had two packages in front of me, one addressed to a “John Smith” and from Sydney, Australia and the other addressed to a “Joachin Alejandro Ramirez Morales de Jesus Martinez” and originating from Bogata, Columbia, guess which one I am going to tear apart? Riiiggghhhttt.
If you have a problem:
If you have a problem with customs it is imperative to have a native Korean speaker, preferably a pissed off ajumma, call for you. If you call, and even speak to a passable English speaker, you have a much greater chance of being blown off as a foreigner. Also, I wouldn’t waste my time placing a complaint on the “Complaint” page of the KCS website. It is useless in my opinion.
If you fax something to their office, NEVER assume they received it. Always call after faxing and confirm, and get the name of the person you spoke with. Again, the best person to do this is a pissed off ajumma. Trust me on this. A squeaky voiced youngster won’t get ya nowhere. Ajumma power is real and it works.
I recommend that if you’re unsure if what you are ordering can be shipped to Korea, check with Customs directly. DO NOT rely on the word of the seller or what someone tells you on some message board or blog.
(As an aside, I wonder if the foreign asshat, who was in prison on Jeju Island for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs in peanut butter, is still there. One can only hope.)